1. Field of the Invention
At least one example embodiment relates to an apparatus and method for acquiring a fluorescence image of a sample, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for simultaneously detecting a plurality of fluorescence signals and acquiring fluorescence images separated for each of the fluorescence signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multi-wavelength fluorescence microscopy of staining regions of a sample with different fluorescent materials and detecting fluorescence signals emitted by exciting the fluorescent materials using a light source is widely used to observe a region of interest of a living cell or tissue. When the multi-wavelength fluorescence microscopy is used, temporal roles or spatial relationship of intracellular components may be observed, and an effect of monitoring a potential molecular interaction among differently stained individuals may be expected.
However, despite the development of fluorescent materials corresponding to various wavelengths, there is a limitation to fluorescence microscopy of simultaneously performing multi-wavelength fluorescence imaging due to overlapping spectra of fluorescent materials, in a related art, for example, Korean Patent Application No. 2011-0118716, Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-091895 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,385,615. Accordingly, it is necessary to use a method of removing overlapping fluorescence signals using optical filters with narrow pass bandwidths while taking into consideration a considerable loss of useful fluorescence signals for distinguishing at least two fluorescent materials with overlapping fluorescence spectra. Also, to increase a strength of a fluorescence signal, an intensity of an excitation light source may be increased. However, phototoxicity of a living sample may occur due to an increase in the intensity of the excitation light source, and accordingly there is a technical limitation to an increase in the strength of the fluorescence signal.